Highland Games, Golden Jubilee & Olympic Torch Slideshow: Elizabeth’s trip from Ballindalloch (near Glenlivet, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom) to 2 cities Tomintoul and Fochabers was created by TripAdvisor. See another United Kingdom slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Glenlivet and Moray

Glenlivet & Moray Slideshow: Elizabeth’s trip from Bluefolds Highland Holiday Cottages (near Glenlivet, Aberdeenshire, United Kingdom) to 10 cities Grantown-on-Spey, Brodie Castle (near Forres, Moray), Dufftown, Lossiemouth, Craigellachie, Findhorn, Aberlour, Portsoy, Cullen and Huntly was created by TripAdvisor. See another United Kingdom slideshow. Create your own stunning slideshow with our free photo slideshow maker.

Lonach Highland Games

What a fantastic day out! The weather was lovely and the drive over the heather clad hills to Strath Don was breathtaking. This was my first visit to the Lonach Highland Games although I have visited all my other local ones many times - Dufftown, Tomintoul and Aberlour as well as Braemar. Having seen and talked to some of the Lonach Highlanders at the Gathering in Edinburgh at end of July, I was keen to finally see them in action in their home place. Strathdon is very small with a tiny village and to see the car parks full of cars for at least 1/2 a mile in every direction was an eye opener. The place was buzzing with excitement. The setting is great with plenty of space for lots of retail opportunities as well as a very busy arena with dancing, piping, heavy games and athletics all taking place simultaneously. It was difficult to know where to look as there was such a lot happening. The Pipe Bands led the Lonach Highlanders around the field and it is truly a remarkable spectacle. We were told that Billy Connelly and Pamela Stephenson were present, but I did not bump into them. The colour of the day was wonderful and the men of all ages involved in the Highlanders is great to see in this day age.

Whisky Festival - Cavalcade and Music

The most amazing day of the festival for photographers. It was great to see something different happening on Speyside. The first time that a horse cavalcade has been involved and the new Spirit of Speyside Flag. After following the horses for the afternoon and watching them ride behind the band through Aberlour it was the turn of the River Spey to be the central focus for the flag. A heavy shower of rain did not detract from the Flag being brought down the Spey by the Ghillies and handed over for the Musical Even finale of the Festival. I guess Pipe Bands are used to getting wet - the Dufftown band certainly did while playing manfully as the boat passed under the Penny Bridge. The Evening concert including the Broxburn Pipe Bands, dancers, Fochabers Fiddlers and finally Capercaillie was a magical end to the day culminating in a fantastic firework display.

Braemar Highland Gathering - Saturday 1 September 2007

It has been a mixed year weather-wise for the Highland Games throughout the area, but the sun shone for the final Games of the season at Braemar. The gathering was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. It is always a very colourful event as you have the youngsters wearing their tartan for the highland dancing and then there is the massed pipe bands. There were 11 bands this year and the shield for the best band was won by Lonach and district Pipe Band. I always enjoy the Heavy Events which include tossing the caber, weight over a bar and throwing the hammer. It is great to see that these traditional Scottish Events now have competitors from around the world with Texan and a Ukranian competing. The Ukranian won the weight over the bar and in fact set the new record for this 2 years ago at over 16 feet. The journey from Speyside over the Lecht and along the River Dee to Braemar is very beautiful especially as the heather is in full bloom.

Summer is passing

It is hard to believe that we are half way through August already. The children have already returned to school in the Highlands. We have been lucky with our weather in Speyside in comparison with areas in the south of England, but both Tomintoul and Dufftown Highland Games in July were rained on. This did not deter the enthusiasts including many of our visitors at the cottages. My first look at Pipe Bands this year was after the Aberlour Games on 4 August. It is always a thrill to watch and listen to them marching along the High Street with the colourful Drum Majors leading the way. Pipe Bands have wonderful support from the communities and children are encouraged to join and learn the Pipes and Drums from a very early age. In the photo on the right you can see 2 young Drum Majors. After marching several times up and down the High Street the Pipe Band followed by the children's fancy dress parade make their way back to the Alice Littler Park for their final tunes of the day.